Shepherding in the High Desert

Monday, September 3, 2012

Tongue in cheek- one might need an archaeologist to get started on this old project again... I think I've only had this twill saddle blanket warped on the jack loom for close to ten years now. It is home-grown and spun Suffolk yarn dyed in oxidized copper.

Man, textile photography is fun stuff, especially in natural light. These are raw images, and of the three frames that I shot, all three turned out good (I think) in the different angles and foci that I was after. They'd look even cooler if I pulled some mid-tones and played with contrast in photoshop, but I am getting to where I hate the over-stylized shots that a lot of photographers are displaying... I like natural. So, they stay raw.

This EOS T3 is the best thing I've ever invested in.

I like Schacht shuttles. I've made a few of my own, and they just aren't as nice.

And string heddles are the bees knees, dude!

The next project is a SonCroft Dunface tartan I designed to feature the range of colors in my Shetland flock. I think the coarser fleeces would be perfect for a nice, tight tweed.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Black Sheep Gathering is a good show on many levels. I like it mostly because of my friends who gather there. It's kind of our hoo-rah for the year. Friends made in this industry are good friends and true.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

John is a wiz at catching sand crabs, and I'd bet he could have caught a laundry basketful in a matter of an hour or so. It prompted discussion of the way Andrew Zimmerman ate them on one of his episodes. Deep fried? They look like a crunchy, little ball of guts. Not too appetizing if you ask me.

Friday, May 11, 2012

About Me

For your daily dose of sheep geek and wool freak!
Raising Bluefaced Leicester and old hill-type Shetland sheep in the Colorado High Desert. We operate an integrated lamb and wool production outfit with all of our wool being processed in our family mill, and our premium quality, grass-finished lamb (almost organic) through farmers' markets, direct sales to restaurants and to friends and neighbors.
I am blazingly anti-NAIS, SFCP, or any other USDA mechanism for the control of our domestic food and fiber production. Socialism hasn't worked anywhere else in the world, and we're mad off our rockers to expect different results here.